Architect appointed to lead Burnley's fight to protect its historic buildings

A young female architect from Burnley has made history after being elected chairman of the town's Civic Trust

Nixie Edwards, co-founder of Burnley-based architectural practice HAD & Co, has been appointed to lead the trust, which was established in 1964 to promote and protect the town's heritage and architectural character.

Her appointment brings together her professional experience in architecture with the trust's work to preserve Burnley's historic buildings and encourage high-quality future development.

HAD & Co was founded by Nixie Edwards and Saira Hussain and has built a reputation for modern architectural design, building transformations and masterplanning projects in Burnley and beyond.

Miss Edwards said: "To lead an institution with such a proud legacy of protecting Burnley's heritage is an incredible honour.

"The built environment is shifting, and our heritage must not just be preserved – it must inspire the future.

"I look forward to working alongside our dedicated committee and the wider community to ensure Burnley remains a vibrant, architecturally ambitious, and deeply historic town where past excellence meets future innovation."

As chairman, Miss Edwards will oversee the trust's work promoting heritage preservation and influencing the future development of the town.

The appointment also comes as the architectural industry continues to encourage greater diversity, with Ms Edwards bringing her experience as a female leader in the sector to the role.